One case resolved in Detroit Princess Riverboat shooting

One of three people charged in the shooting near the Detroit Princess Riverboat last summer pleaded to a minor charge, and two others face upcoming trial dates.

Michael A. Thomas, 32, of Roseville, was sentenced in March to two years probation with the first six months in the Wayne County Jail after pleading no contest to assault with a dangerous weapon in exchange for dismissal of an assault and battery charge.

Thomas was accused of slapping and striking a woman with an object on the boat, igniting a fight that led to the shooting and wounding of six people Aug. 6 along the river in downtown Detroit.

Thomas around the time of the shooting also was caught selling cocaine in Warren. He was convicted by plea of three counts of delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and two counts of attempting the same offense and was sentenced Nov. 27 by Judge Diane Druzinski of Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens to one to 20 years in prison.

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Meanwhile, Thomas’ wife, Latoiya Mitchell-Thomas, 29, faces the most charges in connection with the shooting as she is accused of firing shots into a crowd. Charged with six counts of attempted murder, six counts of two lesser included charges and two weapons charges, she faces a May 6 jury trial in front of Judge Megan Maher-Brennan in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit.

Mitchell-Thomas retrieved a gun from her parked vehicle and fired shots into a crowd after the altercation on board, police say.

Thomas was struck in the back by a bullet that police say was fired from the crowd by Ladon Richard, 46, of Detroit, who is a relative of the woman struck by Thomas. Richard is charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of two lesser included charges as well as reckless discharge of a weapon causing injury and felony firearm.

Richard’s attorney, James Galen, however, says his client never pulled out a gun and never fired a shot. He said Thomas was struck by a bullet fired by his wife.

“We’re not interested in a plea deal of any kind,” Galen said. “My client maintains her innocence and will take it to trial.”

Richard, who is free after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 bond, faces a separate June 24 jury trial in front of Maher-Brennan.

Galen said he plans to file motions in the case prior to an April 26 pretrial.